Teaching Excellence Award

This award recognises teachers renowned for teaching excellence and outstanding skills and who have made a broad and deep contribution to enhancing the quality of learning and teaching. This prestigious faculty award acknowledges approaches that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn through the use of curricula and resources that reflect a command of the field. The recipient must also demonstrate respect and support for the development of students as individuals, and their independent learning.

2017 Dan Malone

Dr Dan Malone is recognised for the development of learning approaches and resources for learning in our new Pharmacy degree; and for bringing a clear focus on skill development to prepare students better for future employment.

He has been a consistent, high achieving educator for over a decade … evidenced by many student awards and peer recognition. He also has consistently high SETU teaching evaluations; recognized by the MPSA through eight year levels and four faculty lecturer of the year awards from 2009 to 2017. Previous awards include Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning by the Australian Government Office of Learning and Teaching in 2012, and 2010 Faculty Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning.

His role as VIM Academic Lead reflects his commitment to excellence, scholarship, student learning and support of academic staff. Dan also shares this commitment, contributing as a university leader in best practice assessment pedagogy.

2016 Dr Elizabeth Yuriev

For many years Dr Elizabeth Yuriev has been committed to education excellence, and acknowledged by her peers, students, colleagues and external organisations. It is for this commitment that she has been recognised once more, receiving the 2016 faculty Teaching Excellence Award.

Elizabeth’s commitment to student learning is recognised not only in her content expertise but her passion for continuous growth and reflection. This passion led her to develop and implement a holistic approach to student teamwork learning through structured group work. She also initiated innovative resources to foster problem solving and study skills for meaningful learning.

Not only concerned with student learning outcomes, Elizabeth identified that the journey must be inclusive of her colleagues and communities. With this in mind she actively shaped courses and student learning through committees and communities of practice.

2015 Dr Laurence Orlando

In 2015, Dr Laurence Orlando received the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award in recognition of her ongoing commitment to developing work ready graduates. She has developed an innovative, best-practice, industry-led approach to teaching based on experiential learning and constructive alignment principles that contribute to the development of essential students' attributes like critical thinking, teamwork and communication. The use of problem based learning allows students to take ownership of their studies and as part of a team to solve complex real-world problems. Students are supported by learning activities which clarify expectations and drive learning. Laurence continues to search for effective evidence based strategies to use to improve student learning outcomes.

2014 Dr Paul White

Dr Paul White was recognised for his individual contribution of innovative student focused teaching but also for his leadership in implementing a faculty based approach to improving the student experience. Dr White focuses on developing student's capacity to work as professionals, by presenting them with scenarios which require them not only to know the facts but to use them to predict outcomes, and suggest appropriate interventions. He aims to minimise any disconnect between university and real-life, through his use of teaching and assessment strategies.

Paul's teaching philosophy has developed through his career as he reflected on individual experiences, something he models for students where they are asked to summarise and reflect at the end of active learning sessions. The panel acknowledged Paul for bringing the students on board; being transparent about the goals and encouraging students to use their intelligence as agents of their own change.

2011 Dr David Manallack

In 2011 Dr David Manallack was the worthy recipient of the faculty's Teaching Excellence Award in recognition of innovative presentations developed to inspire and facilitate student engagement in chemistry. David draws on his extensive background in the pharmaceutical industry and hospital pharmacy to inspire students, introducing teaching innovations and video presentations to identify the links between basic chemistry, how drugs work and the professional role of the pharmacist. This creative and engaging approach appeals to students with a variety learning needs and enables them to appreciate that a broad knowledge of chemistry is essential to underpin their careers as practising pharmacists.

2009 Dr Ian Larson

Dr Ian Larson received the faculty teaching excellence award in recognition of his contribution to quality learning and teaching. Faced with large classes and aware of the need to engage students in developing higher-order thinking and analysis skills, Ian employed an active student centered approach to teaching, where the teacher takes the role of facilitator rather than authority, and students have the opportunity to discover knowledge. Ian exemplified this approach by substituting traditional lectures with feedback sessions and student centered learning activities, and the development of Pharmatopia, the Second Life Island, used for teaching through simulation in a virtual world. The effectiveness of these approaches was evident in measurably improved academic outcomes and attendance rates of students.

2007 Dr Elizabeth Yuriev

Awarded for teaching excellence, Dr Elizabeth Yuriev improved the teaching and learning of pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry, by relating abstract conceptual materials to everyday events familiar to students, obtaining extremely positive feedback from students through MonQUEST and unit evaluations. Elizabeth demonstrated through her teaching methodologies a variety of strategies and approaches to delivering lectures and tutorials, consistently adopting engaging and exciting content, planning, feedback and evaluation as themes to remain relevant, resourceful and engaging to the student body. Dr Yuriev' s teaching philosophy is centred on helping students to learn, focusing on students' understanding of material, and de-emphasising "fact" in favour of "concept". She continues to motivate students to learn independently and instil in them a lifelong love of learning.

2006 Dr Paul White

Awarded for teaching excellence, Dr Paul White significantly improved the teaching and learning within the Faculty, using a range of teaching methods to allow for a range of student learning strategies. Paul's outstanding and innovative approach provided an opportunity for all students from diverse learning styles to participate, and receive immediate feedback, in lectures through the introduction of audience response "clickers". Paul obtained extremely positive feedback from students through MonQUEST and unit evaluations, and was twice selected to represent the University at national Education forums.